Float valve



July 8, 1941. H. H. MILLER V FLOAT VALVE Filed March lso, '1940 Patenieci July 8, 1941 paaren stars-s eared-r eerie-s A i 2,248,433 u FLOAT VALVE Henry H.V Miller, Lincoln, Nebr.

I Application March 30, 1940,Serial No.326,399.

(C1. 13m-101i)y 6 Claims.

Ilhis invention relates to float Valves, and among other objects, aims to provide animproved float-valve which is especially useful in maintaining a nearly constant level ofwaterin the evaporating pans of `hot-air furnaces,-without`over fiowing said pans.- However; the Viioat valve of the present invention has other-uses andadvantages, as the following description of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention will' make'apparent to those'skilled inthe art. In the-accompanying drawing forming a part of this specificationf Fig. 1 is a vertical'y sectional*elevation'ofthe improved float valve, shown closed, showing in A dotted lines an alternative position of the float x and certain parts connected thereto, a fragment of the tank which houses'the float valve also being shown;

Fig. 2 is a view like Fig.Y l y-but showing the valve open;

Fig. 3 is a top plan ofthev ball Yweight and its frame.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the improved float valve is shown secured'tov the bottom 5 of a tank which isconnected by-a `pipeto the evaporating pan (not shown) of a hotair furnace (not shown) the arrangementbeingsuch that the-level of water in the tank determines the level of water in the evaporating pan, as will be understood without illustration. The tank bottom 5 is perforated as atY E and a valve base 'l having an integral flange isthrustV through the perforation 6 to extend outsidel the tank, so that a water supply pipe coupling vor union 9 maybe screwed on threads I5. A nut II is threadedv on the valve base and 3o-operatesA with a gasket' I2 underneath flange 8 to seal'the joint. The-entire oat valve is shown supported on the valve base l which in turn is rigidly secured upon the tank bottom 5. f

Screwed into the upper end of valve base `'I is a valve body tube I3 having a small orice` I4 at its upper end. A flange I5 integral with Vthe valve body tube may be hexagonal on Aits periphery to facilitate tightening or loosening the valve body tube, said ange i5 also providing a shoulder for supporting a hollow valve chamber I6. Screw threads I'l on the lower end of valve chamber I6 co-operate with like threads on lthe upper end of the orifice member I3 to hold the valve chamber assembled upon and in communication with the orifice member. The oriiice I4 discharges into the valve-chamber vwhen permittedv to do so, a valve I3 in the valve chamber normally being seated on the conical endl9^ of fi t the valve'v body tube l'I 3f to'f'sealf said prince. On ther valvel chamber a dischargespout 2Il is formed, to: deliver water 4from the interior of nthevalve chamber to thetank.vr The` valvebodytube lwith its-orifice is obviously a-replaceableoricemember whose orifice determines vthe amount-of-Jluid which may be discharged from spout2ll.fl f

To control. the valve. I8, andI hence flow. vof, water into the tank, a float.- 2 kofconventional construction issecured onthe outerend ofia lever.2.2 plv#- oted-asat 23v onthe-valve chambenIILA The-in.- ner end 22d-of ylever v22- is preferably; rounded; or

,sphericalgand is received-within. aslot v24'provided in the upper'end` of alplungerf' which reciprocates within the .valve.chamber.. Valve -l'is `on the innerorlowerend of-iplunger- 25. The slot 24 is longer-than the diameter ofthe inner round.- ed -end 22a of the-floatlever., so thatJ said. inner end -may swingthrough a -certairrangle without pressureionV the plunger ;1 Thedotted line poe sitionof the parts inFig 1 will makethis-clear: the lfloat hasdropped, ythus lifting. the inner .end 22a-without lifting .the plungerlandihencef the valve I8'. The seating` end of vvalvelli may: have a washer AZii' .whichdirectly. Acontacts the..upper, concal-endi-IS of-.the orifice member, to ysealthle orifice, andtheopposite end of valve vI 8 may-have a reducedfscrew threaded -endv2li whichxscrews into a tapped bore in thelower end :o-fplunger 25'. A cup .washer 28' isinterposed :between valvefl and plunger 25 and is held on the lower end-.of the p-lunger-bythevalve.when screwed tight, said cup washer thusssealingtheupper. end of the hollow valve chamber I5 whatever the position of :the plunger 25. ObviouslyY the innerend .22a of the float lever prevents the plunger from mov:- ing outof the valve chamber responsive to water pressure.

From the foregoing, it is clear thatthe sizeof the orifice andfthe pressureofthe source.. of liquid will control. the, volume of, ilowof. liquid into the tank, hence into the evaporating pan; therefore, -by installing an orifice memberlhaving. a lproperly sizedorice, approximatelyvthe same amount of water .per unit of time. will be delivered to the evaporating pan regardless of differences in water mains pressure vin different cities, or in different partsv of thesame city.4 It will also be clear thata noticeable drop inl the water level of the tank must take placeV before the float lever will open the-valve to replenish the supply .of water. This is. desirable to prevent constant drip feed of thefwatenwhichf-may lead to` corrosion-and operating troubles. A# quick yflow of .water lforashorttime, followed by'a `relatively long period during which the valve is closed, is the preferred operation, and this is assured by the illustrative construction and arrangement of parts.

To make the valve open and close equally quickly so there can never be a dribble or drip feed, and to hold the valve tightly closed, a massive solid metal ball weight 30 is carried on a ball race or guide frame 3| which tilts on an adjustable fulcrum provided by the rounded top of screw cap 32, said screw cap being screwed on a stud 33 projecting from the upper end of plunger 25. As the plunger rises and falls, obviously said fulcrum moves with it. A lock nut 34 holds the adjustment of the screw cap 32.

The ball race 3l preferably comprises a pair of parallel rods 35 (which may be the ends of a single rod bent in its middle, as shown in Fig. 3) and a single upper ro'd 36 located in a medial plane between rods 35 and spaced so close to rods 35 that the ball weight 30, once in the race, can not escape therefrom unless the race is partly disassembled. The ends of rod 3B are bent downwardly at right angles toward rods 35 and are received within tie members 31, 38 which surround rods 35 and are secured to them. Beyond tie member 31, the free ends of rod or rods 35 extend, and a connector 39 having perforations for rods 35 is slipped over said free ends and thus connects the float 2| with the race. Connector 39 may be soldered or brazed on the top of the float. Thus the fioat, as it rises and falls, forces the ball race to tilt on its fulcrum, and the ball moves back and forth in the race, always seeking the end which is the lower. Rubber bumpers 36a on the ends of rod 36 are employed to deaden the sound of the ball as it strikes against said rod ends. On the bottom of tie member 38 is a rigidly mounted rider 4l] which rests directly on the rounded upper end of the screw cap or fulcrum 32. To guide the ball race as it swings, a rod 4I, secured upright V`on an arm 42 integral with the valve chamber,

is passed through a perforation 43 (Fig. 8) in the rider 40. The rigidity of the bearing of the f float lever 22 on its pivot 23 obviously constrains the oat lever to swing only vertically, and as the float lever is connected through the float with the ball race, the latter is guided at its outer as well as inner end during its rocking on the fulcrum.

When the tank is full, the parts are in the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 1; and even after the water level has dropped appre'ciably,

until the float is in the dotted line position (Fig.

1), the valve remains seated, as clearly shown. In said dotted line position, the weight of the ball 30 is transmitted through the rider 4i) to the plunger 25 to hold the valve seated against the water pressure. This valve-holding action may be independent of any thrust exerted by the inner end of the float lever, or in other words, the ball weight will hold the valve closed, to stop ow of water, when the float would permit water pressure to lift the valve to discharge Water into the tank. However, when the float descends so far that the water in the tank is quite low, the float-attached end of the ball race tilts downwardly under the weight of the oat and the ball rolls to the extreme end of the race, while the water pressure lifts plunger 25 until the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 2, and water discharges through spout 2'0 into the tank. As the water rises in the tank, the float moves upwardly until it is in the dotted line position of Fig. 1, the ball weight, however being at the right hand end of the horizontal race and the valve still being open. But when the iioat rises still further, the race tilts, and the ball weight rolls to the left hand end of the race, whereupon the valve is immediately closed, and is held closed regardless of bobbing of the float on the water surface, or of minor fluctuations in the level of said surface.

Obviously, many changes may be made in the 'construction and arrangement of the parts. For instance, the side walls of the tank may support the device, instead of the bottom. The device may be used to control the level of liquids other than Water. Nearly all the details of construction set forth in the foregoing may be changed or modified. The invention is therefore not limited to the illustrative form described above, but is dened by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A float valve for controlling flow of liquid from a source of supply into a tank comprising, in combination, a valve member; an orice member having an orifice whose discharge end is adapted to be closed by said valve member; a plunger carrying the valve member; an adjustable fulcrum member on the plunger; a ball race rookably supported near one end on said adjustable fulcrum; a ball weight movable longitudinally of the ball race as it rocks on said fulcrum; a float Iconnected to the other end of the race; and a pivoted lever connecting the float with the plunger to control the position of the valve.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein there is a valve chamber enclosing the lvalve member and the discharge end of the orifice; a guide being secured to the valve chamber, said guide lcontrolling movement of said race, which race is free of the adjustable fulcrum member though resting thereon.

3. The invention according to claim l, wherein the float lever is pivoted near the plunger end and is ball-shaped at its extremity, said extremity being received within a plunger recess which is materially larger than the diameter of the ball-shaped extremity, so that a certain play or lost motion of the plunger relative to the extremity is permitted.

4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the ball race has a rider which rests on the top end of the adjustable fulcrum member; the iioat being slidably connected to the ra'ce and the lever guiding the race as it tilts on its lulcrum.

5. A float valve comprising, in combination, an orifice member having an orifice connected to a source of liquid supply; a valve adapted when seated to close said orice; means acting responsive to lchanges in liquid levels to lift said valve wide open or to close said valve tightly; said means comprising a float, a oat lever attached to the float, a ball weight, and a race in which the ball Weight rolls; said race being tiltable and being directly connected with the oat, and the float lever directly connecting the float and the valve; the parts being so constructed and arranged as to obviate any position permitting drip ow past said valve; the ball weight, when at one extremity of the race, being directly over the valve, and a fulcrum, on which the race tilts, being connected to the valve and transmitting the gravity thrust of the ball weight directly down upon the valve and its seatadjacent said orifice.

6. A float valve comprising, in combination, an orifice member having an orifice connected to a source of liquid supply; a valve adapted when seated to close said orice; means acting responsive to changes in liquid levels to lift said Valve Wide open or to `close said valve tightly; said means comprising a float, a float lever attached to the iioat, a ball Weight, and a race in which the ball Weight rolls; said race being tiltable and being directly connected With the oat, l0

and the float lever directly connecting the iioat and the valve; the parts being so constructed and arranged as to obviate any position permitting drip iiow past said valve; the valve being on the inner end of a'plunger movable in the valve chamber, and a fulcrum being on the outer end of said plunger; the race resting on the outer end of the fulcrum and being,r lifted When the plunger is lifted by the water pressure. 

